Cannot VPN via Router ..

vkshirsagar · Post by **vkshirsagar** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:14 pm

Hi,
I've got a Netgear WGR614 v3 wireless router, I am able to connect to my office (via a Cisco VPN Client) but when my wife tries to connect at her office (via windows VPN Connection) the connection goes through, and immediately gets disconnected (without any errors, etc) within a few seconds. The only way we are able to keep up the connection is if we directly connect to the DSL modem.
I've tried updating the firmware (although, it still shows as version 1XX, even though I uploaded the latest version 2.15), I know that the LAN IP's are different. At this point I don't know what else to check, I've already run out on my warranty hence Netgear would not help. I thought of posting on this forum before I spend another ~ $80 on a new routher. I appreciate all your help, and thanks !!

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:46 pm

vkshirsagar wrote: I've tried updating the firmware (although, it still shows as version 1XX, even though I uploaded the latest version 2.15),

Sounds like it's not taking the firmware upgrade. Document any settings that you need...(such as PPPoE user/pass)...reset the router to factory defaults..and then try to upgrade the firmware again.

Does it drop your wifes VPN tunnel while you're connected? Or does it drop hers even if she signs in alone? Some older more basic routers cannot handle more than 1x VPN passthrough.

If you look around your routers web admin..often in the advanced settings..are there checkboxes to enable VPN passthrough?

vkshirsagar · Post by **vkshirsagar** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:34 am

Thanks for the response, to answer your questions, the connection drops when we are trying to connect to my wife's VPN (while I am not online at all). Secondly I did not find the VPN Pass Through setting on the settings anywhere. I've bought this router probably 5 yrs ago, it works great, just that my wife started working recently and it's not working with her VPN. But it might be old enough to not support multiple VPN, thinking out loud, this should not be an issue as long as only one person's trying to VPN in, right? I'll try uploading the latest firmware again and see if it works after the reset. Thanks again !!

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:25 pm

vkshirsagar wrote: But it might be old enough to not support multiple VPN, thinking out loud, this should not be an issue as long as only one person's trying to VPN in, right? I'll try uploading the latest firmware again and see if it works after the reset. Thanks again !!

Try.....some older routers just didn't even play nice with VPN at all. PPTP VPN does not like NAT at all. NAT is the method that home broadband routers use to run as a gateway...they share that single IP address from your ISP with all your internal computers. It also provides basic hardware firewall protection. However...VPN traffic does not like passing through NAT, so many routers have "VPN passthrough"..which basically handles the VPN traffic separately...and sort of bypasses NAT...so it's unmolested by NAT.

I agree it seems odd that yours works..hers doesn't. I've usually seen native Windows PPTP VPN not be bothered by it, often fancier IPSec VPN does have issues. Yours is the other way around. Odd indeed.

So..often a firmware upgrade can fix the issue. I'll cross my fingers for ya.

One question....your "DSL modem"..is it running as a combo modem/router already? Or does your Netgear router do the PPPoE and obtain the public IP address on the outside? If your Netgear router is just set to obtain auto on the WAN interface..and your DSL modem is indeed a combo modem/router..already doing NAT...you're ending up with a double NAT setup..which can affect things like VPN more.